The Supreme Court of Ohio & The Ohio Judicial System

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On Tuesday, July 17, 2012, the Supreme Court of Ohio launched an expanded news program – Court News Ohio – that features stories about the Ohio judicial system. This archived page on the Supreme Court’s website only displays news stories that occurred before that date. News stories that occurred on July 17 and thereafter can be found at www.courtnewsohio.gov.

In conjunction with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Supreme Court of Ohio today announced a new publication that provides information about domestic violence specifically for senior citizens.

The publication describes acts of abuse and violence, the characteristics of offenders and victims, and the court’s role in identifying domestic violence in later life.

Diana Ramos-Reardon, Supreme Court Domestic Violence Program manager, said identifying domestic violence in later life is challenging for courts because of the complex issues involved. “Not only must the court determine the type of abuse, if any, but it must also determine if the victim is competent to participate in legal proceedings.”

She also said determining whether the victim would benefit more from domestic violence programming services or appointing a guardian can be tricky. “Because domestic violence is characterized by power and control, it could be very detrimental to the well-being of a victim of domestic violence to have yet another person, a guardian, directing his or her life,” she noted.

Other factors include: awareness about the community’s domestic violence programs, whether a protection order is warranted, and tips about shepherding these unique cases through the legal process.

Recognizing the importance of effective and sound domestic violence practices from the judiciary, the Supreme Court established the Domestic Violence Program in 2007 to:

Promote coordination and communication among courts that issue domestic violence protection orders and other relevant orders.

Support standard domestic violence and stalking protection order forms and practices.